Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas Presents!


My family decided that there are three stages of Christmas: stage one is when you are So Excited you can't go to sleep Christmas Eve. The day seems endless and parents heartlessly send the kids to bed at the regular time. Now of course we know that they needed time to finish wrapping and assembling all the toys. My father says the three most frightening words in the English language are "some assembly required". This is from a man who assembled not one, not two, but THREE bicycles one Christmas Eve. The second stage is when you have kids yourself, so YOU are the one staying up til 2am getting everything ready. And finally, the third stage is when you have older children and get everything done ahead of time. The kids let you sleep late, so no need to get up at 6am to see what Santa brought. We are at that stage at Chez Hunting Creek, so we get to sleep late, drink coffee and open gifts in a leisurely fashion. We started Christmas Eve at my sister's house, and opened gifts there too. It's just nonstop gift opening from Christmas Eve til Inauguration day here.
Ann said she wanted to know what everyone got, so here goes:
My brother and sister, who shall henceforth be known as Best Sister Ever and Best Brother Ever, shopped Victoriously on eBay and had scored over TWO HUNDRED vintage patterns from the 1940's to the 1970's. Here is a picture of one of our favorites:

This pattern was declared by all present as the BEST. It is multi purpose: you can use it for Manson Family-style cultwear, I Dream of Jeannie fantasy wear, and I'm not even sure what the blond in the bizarre Jetson pigtails represents. Did we really dress like this in the 70's? If yes, Time has mercifully drawn a veil over the memory.
I took a picture of some of the patterns spilled out on the dining room table...but that's not even half! See picture at the top.
I also received perfume, cool new speakers for my computer so I can listen to tunes while I work, a giant bottle of Mexican Vanilla, a designer Apron, and several new books, including a biography of Colette and a memoir by Marcella Hazan. We will have another celebration with our family on January 17th when my daughter returns from her Christmas in Italy (oh the life she leads!) We will open Even More Presents then.
I hope Santa brought everything you wanted.
Merry Christmas!

4 comments:

d.o.h said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
cidell said...

That, is an amazing pattern haul! They ARE the Best Siblings Ever!

Anonymous said...

LOL, Manson family style clothes... Jeannie W.

Meg said...

Me too, LOL about the Manson family wear. But what good siblings you have!